The 2nd New Track from My Morning Jacket's Upcoming Album Is Even Better Than The First!

Spring (Among The Living) is the 2nd new track from My Morning Jacket's upcoming album The Waterfall & it's even better than Big Decisions! May 4th can't get here soon enough! Have I mentioned how much I absolutely treasure MMJ? :)

Technicolour Beat by Oh Wonder

Oh Wonder is a musical duo that is releasing a brand new song on the 1st of every month of 2015. I can't wait to hear the next song they release on Wednesday because Technicolour Beat (which was released on March 1st) is a beautifully calming track.

All Your Love Is Gone by Boxed In

The very 1st song Jason Bentley played on Morning Becomes Eclectic on Monday morning after having just returned from South by Southwest in Austin is All Your Love Is Gone by Boxed In aka Oli Bayston. Boxed In performed with his live band formed by Mark Nicholls, Jack Benfield & Liam Hutton at midnight on March 20th at Latitude 30. It's a splendid Saturday morning jam. 

Leon Bridges @ Troubadour - 3/24/15

After diligently trying & failing to snag a ticket to SxSW sensation Leon Bridges' 2/24 show at Hotel Cafe, I feel extra fortunate to have landed a ticket to his last minute, opener-less 3/24 gig (which was announced only 8 days in advance) at Troubadour in West Hollywood. The show sold out within seconds so, if I hadn't clicked refresh at the exact stroke of noon on 3/17, I could've very easily been with the majority of people who were unable to get tix despite being on top of the sale the moment it started.

Of course, on the morning of Leon's Troub show, Outside Lands announced the lineup for their 8th annual OSL festival & Leon is on the bill so, if I'd missed Tuesday's show, that would've been an excellent consolation but, now, I'm just all the more pumped to see this SUPER talented, unique, charming, soulful, dapper young man perform AGAIN in Golden Gate Park!

Leon brought the INSANELY packed house down Tuesday night!! The Troub was so crowded I couldn't even capture a quick video clip because it would've been too annoying for my neighbors who I was already bumping into on a regular basis while trying to dance in the most stationary position possible. But we were all stuffed in there for a reason! :) Leon's performance of Lisa Sawyer almost made me cry tears of pure joy. He was absolutely perfect! 

An added bonus was unexpectedly bumping my concert pal Adam & his friend Chris as I was entering the venue so I had buddies to enjoy Leon's short but OH so sweet set with!

http://www.concertaddictchick.com/2015/01/coming-home-by-leon-bridges.html

Any Emotions by Mini Mansions Featuring Brian Wilson - Official Video Starring Colin Hanks

The song Any Emotions by Mini Mansions featuring Brian Wilson from MM's 2nd studio album The Great Pretenders & its accompanying Mike Harris-directed, official video starring Colin Hanks are both quite emotional.

The Must-See Acts of Outside Lands 2015

This morning at 10am, Outside Lands dropped their 2015 lineup announcement 2 weeks earlier than ever before!! This August 7-9 will be the 8th Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival since the festival 's 2008 inception. Outside Lands 2015 will also be MY 8th year attending the fest in Golden Gate Park! I already purchased my Eager Beaver pass on March 12th in order to maintain my perfect attendance record :) I'm SO excited to see Elton John, Kendrick Lamar, Robert DeLong, D'Angelo, Billy Idol & Shakey Graves all for my 1st time!

Other must-see artists include:

Hot Chip

Wilco

Toro Y Moi

Caribou

Django Django

Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals - Some of the 1st live shows I ever attended in life were Ben Harper & Dave Matthews Band shows. I can't wait to see Ben again!!

Leon Bridges - I'm seeing Leon for my 1st time TONIGHT at Troubadour in West Hollywood! The show sold out in less than 30 seconds!

Classixx

Tame Impala

St. Vincent

Chet Faker

Unknown Mortal Orchestra

Allah-Las

Dan Deacon

Benjamin Booker

Broods

Giraffage

Alvvays
Strand of Oaks
Mumford & Sons
First Aid Kit
Porter Robinson
Odesza
RL Grime
Fantastic Negrito
Angus & Julia Stone
Laura Marling
James Bay
Glass Animals

AND MORE TO COME!! Unlike Coachella, both Outside Lands & Sasquatch do their loyal festival attendees a solid by actually adding artists to the lineup between the initial announcement & the festival. Coachella stopped doing that years ago :-P

I Run Roulette by BOOTS - Live on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

Based on BOOTS' (aka Jordan Asher) live performance of his single I Run Roulette on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon last week, you'd never guess this is the same guy who initially gained fame by producing Beyonce's 2013 self-titled album for which he also wrote 4 original tracks. Oh & he produced Run The Jewels 2nd studio album of 2014 Run the Jewels 2 too!

Now Boots is making a name all for himself with a 5-track EP that accompanies a post-apocalyptic film Motorcycle Jesus which Boots also wrote & directed. You can see the full-length film below.

Boots is dabbling quite successfully in pretty much every genre of music at this point...R&B, pop, rap, rock...you name it!

https://soundcloud.com/bootsonboots

Lampshades On Fire by Modest Mouse - Official Music Video Starring Natasha Lyonne

Modest Mouse & Natasha Lyonne of Orange Is the New Black get weird in the woods in the new official music video for the 1st single off MM's new album Strangers to Ourselves. I'm still partial to the adorable, light rail-riding coyote in their video for the 2nd single Coyotes though ;)

MEET Absofacto

I can't thank my dear grade school friend, John, for going out of his way today to introduce me to Absofacto aka Jonathan Visger of Ann Arbor, Michigan. Absofacto is like a perfect blend of Toro y Moi, Sinkane, Portugal. The Man & Washed Out. I'm newly obsessed!

Check out a few prime Absofacto tracks below (which are the same 4 tracks John recommended I listen to 1st) then help me encourage Absofacto to come play some shows in California ASAP!

Dissolve


Backfire


No Power


Punch Drunk on Black Mold

Long Way Down by Robert DeLong - Official Music Video

So far, the timing has never worked out for me to be able to catch 1 of several potential Robert DeLong festival sets & I've never been lucky enough to see him play a show in LA (despite there having been several opportunities) so I'm extra hopeful he might play Outside Lands in SF or FYF Fest in LA in August!! I need to see this guy in action!

So take it in, don't hold your breath
The bottom's all I found
We can't get higher than we get
On the long way down

Crystals by Of Monsters and Men (Lyric Video) - NEW!

Check out the 1st single (& accompanying lyric video starring Icelandic actor Siggi Sigurjóns) from Of Monsters and Men's 2nd studio album Beneath the Skin which is set for release on June 9th!

Get Some Freedom by Big Data Featuring Dragonette

The latest Big Data single Get Some Freedom is a fantastic, Friday afternoon jam to help pump you up for the beautiful, hot & sunny weekend ahead! The track features Dragonette & will be included on Big Data's upcoming debut studio album entitled 2.0 which is set for release on March 24th!

Psycho by Muse - NEW!

Check out the brand new lyric video for the 1st single from Muse's upcoming 7th studio album Drones which is set for release on June 8th! 

With a new album coming out in 2015, you'd think Muse would've headlined Coachella this year instead of last but whatever! If I ever find a way to work for Goldenvoice, I'll be sure to remedy these occasionally disappointing Coachella headliner choices ;) Aside from Jack White, the 2015 headliners are quite meh :-P Luckily though, a TON of the tiny font artists are significantly more exciting!

2 Excellent, Extremely Different Tracks from AWOLNATION's Upcoming New Album RUN

Like most people, until recently, I primarily associated AWOLNATION with 1 thing: The eventually, far too played out song Sail from their 1st studio album Megalithic Symphony (2011). I actually got to hear Sail performed live when AWOLNATION played the halftime show at the 49ers game on Thanksgiving night 2014 & was reminded of how much I still like that song! AWOLNATION's performance (many fireworks included) was the highlight of the football game considering how badly my beloved Niners were STOMPED that night by Seattle :'( 

But I digress...AWOLNATION is releasing their 2nd studio album entitled Run next Tuesday on St. Patrick's Day & there are already 2 tracks I really like! 

Hollow Moon (Bad Wolf) initially has a happier, more upbeat vibe only to then take a grittier turn toward the end:

Run (same title as the album), on the other hand, has a darker, more intense beat. I'm about to go on a beach run & plan to bump this song in my headphones to rile myself up a little bit!


If & when the above video stops working, you can check out Run on AWOLNATION's Soundcloud page here:
https://soundcloud.com/awolnation/01-run

Let It Happen by Tame Impala - NEW!!

Tame Impala just dropped the 1st single from their upcoming 3rd studio album!!!!! The track is entitled Let It Happen, it is nearly 8 minutes in length & every second is beyond EPIC. I try not to toss that word around loosely but, in this case, it's 100% accurate. I'm obsessed after only 1 listen! 

As far as I'm concerned, Tame Impala is a Coachella 2015 headliner since they're 1 of the top 5 artists I'm most stoked to see. This new track just knocked them up yet another notch! Tame Impala is INCREDIBLE live so adding Let It Happen to their repertoire is sure to make everyone in desert (including me!) lose their minds!! :) :)

Tame Impala 2015 Tour Dates:
04/08 – Pomona, CA @ Fox Theater
04/10 – Indio, CA @ Coachella Music Festival
04/17 – Indio, CA @ Coachella Music Festival
05/08 – Austin, TX @ Austin Psych Fest
05/08 – Atlanta, GA @ Shaky Knees Festival
05/11 – Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium
05/13 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
05/14 – Milwaukee, WI @ Riverside Theatre
05/15 – Chicago, IL @ Riviera Theatre
05/16 – Columbus, OH @ LC Pavilion
05/18 – Royal Oak, MI @ Royal Oak Music Theatre
05/19 – Toronto, ON @ Massey Hall
05/20 – Montreal, QC @ Metropolis
05/22 – George, WA @ Sasquatch! Festival
05/22 – Boston, MA @ Boston Calling
05/26 – Vancouver, BC @ Malkin Bowl
05/27 – Portland, OR @ Roseland Ballroom
05/29 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Depot
05/30 – Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
05/31 – Kansas City, KS @ Uptown Theatre
06/01 – St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant
06/03 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE
06/04 – Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues
06/05 – Cincinnati, OH @ Bunbury Music Festival
06/06 – Washington, DC @ Echostage
06/07 – New York, NY @ Governors Ball Music Festival
08/20 – Viana Do Castelo, PT @ Parades de Coura
09/04 – Gardenstown, UK @ End of the Road Festival
09/04 – Dublin, IE @ Electric Picnic
09/06 – Co. Laois, IE @ Stradbally Hall
09/08 – Glasgow, UK @ Barrowland
09/09 – Liverpool, UK @ Olympia
09/11 – Isle of Wight, UK @ Bestival
09/12 – Berlin, DE @ Lollapalooza Berlin

Believe by Mumford & Sons - NEW!

I've had a soft spot for Marcus Mumford ever since becoming obsessed with When I Get My Hands On You by The New Basement Tapes but I'm still not sure how I feel about Mumford & Sons' new sound on the 1st single off their upcoming 3rd studio album. A few weeks ago, I heard a rumor their next album would be going a slightly more electronic (& less folksy) route but I thought that meant they'd sound more dance-ish...not more Coldplay-ish? What do you think? Should we just Believe?

The new album Wilder Mind drops May 4th via Island Records.

FAME by David Bowie

Some fun facts about the classic, BADASS 1975 David Bowie track Fame:

1 - It was co-written by John Lennon.

2 - It's been used in countless films & television shows including Pretty Woman, Rush, Foxcatcher, American Horror Story: Freak Show & Nip/Tuck.

3 - It's been covered by countless artists including James Brown, Duran Duran, Eurythmics, Jay-Z, Dave Matthews Band, Umphreys McGee, George Michael, Pearl Jam & Lady Gaga.

4 - It can REALLY pump you up on a Friday night...or any other time for that matter!

Fame, makes a man take things over
Fame, lets him loose, hard to swallow
Fame, puts you there where things are hollow
Fame
Fame, it's not your brain, it's just the flame
That burns your change to keep you insane
Fame
Fame, what you like is in the limo
Fame, what you get is no tomorrow
Fame, what you need you have to borrow

Blessings by Big Sean Featuring Drake & Kanye West (Explicit) - OFFICIAL VIDEO

It has been an excellent week for rap & hip hop fans as far as new releases go with Action Bronson & Chance the Rapper dropping Baby Blue on Monday & Kid Cudi giving us all some love. on Tuesday. Also on Tuesday, we were treated to the new official video for Blessings from Big Sean's 3rd studio album Dark Sky Paradise (released last Tuesday 2/24) which features Drake on the studio version but also includes a literally last minute verse by Kanye West on the extended version. Both Drake & Kanye join Big Sean in the Blessings video below. We should all feel blessed ;)

love. by Kid Cudi - NEW!

It's unknown whether or not this inspirational, new Kid Cudi track entitled love. will be featured on his currently in-the works album Man on the Moon 3 but, regardless, it's a welcome treat for Kid Cudi & Ratatat fans alike!

From Cudi on SoundCloud: 

Something I made during the SF sessions. produced by me, keys by Dot. Sample is from one of my favorite Ratatat jams “Sunblocks.” And love to Evan and Mike for allowing me to release it.. For you. Hope it brings you some peace if you have a lonely heart out there. byeeeee :)

Big Decisions by My Morning Jacket - NEW!!

The 1st new song from My Morning Jacket in almost 4 years has made this 1st week of March exponentially better. Big Decisions is the 1st single from MMJ's 7th studio album The Waterfall due out May 4th via ATO Records/Capitol Records. 

The release of Big Decisions was accompanied by a bunch of new tour dates but, unfortunately, there currently are no California shows scheduled &, according to my calculations, there's pretty much no way MMJ will be able to get from Georgia (where they're playing 2 nights on 8/7 & 8/8) to San Francisco to play day 3 of Outside Lands on 8/9 so my OSL 2015 MMJ headlining dream is crushed :-/ My last hope is MMJ possibly playing FYF Fest in LA on 8/22 or 8/23 but I have a feeling that's not gonna happen either. 

My fave MMJ's One Big Holiday roommate, Evan, says I just need to be patient because there's NO way MMJ won't be playing the west coast in support of The Waterfall. Since MMJ will be releasing a 2ND new album in 2016 AND Jim James has another solo album on the way, it's practically a guarantee they'll make it to LA at least before the end of 2015 & the sooner the better!! I'm ready for my 16TH MMJ show!!!

Baby Blue by Action Bronson Featuring Chance The Rapper (Produced by Mark Ronson)

Action Bronson's latest single off his upcoming 2nd studio album Mr. Wonderful (available March 24th via Atlantic Records & Vice Records) is entitled Baby Blue. The track features Chance The Rapper on guest rhymes & is produced by Mark Ronson. It is also quite hilarious. Chance The Rapper's verse cracks me up.

Why you always all on my back? Why you gotta do me like that? Why you gotta act like a bitch when I'm with you? Baby girl, I'm blue...